


Into the Cave

by Vivalaaldalome



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Death, Horcruxes, I'm a horrible person, and my son, regulus black is an angel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-25 18:56:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9839378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vivalaaldalome/pseuds/Vivalaaldalome
Summary: So I'm an awful human being who decided to write Regulus' death scene. Enjoy.





	

Regulus cradled his hand to his chest, not bothering to perform a healing spell before stepping after his house elf into the old and tiny boat. As they start moving, he notices that the boat does not actually touch the pitch black water, but floats just above the surface as it carries them deeper into the cave. Their destination is a small island in the middle of the lake, illuminated by a soft green light that seems to be coming from an oversized stone goblet.  
Regulus himself is surprisingly calm, given what he is about to do, but they get closer, Regulus can see that Kreacher is trembling. Regulus remembers how last year, he had allowed the Dark Lord to borrow his house elf. He had felt pride at the fact that he was asked, instead of Bella or Cissy, but was soon to regret it. Kreacher had appeared in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place a few hours later half dead and severely dehydrated, but refused any potion Regulus had offered him. He had later gotten the story of what happened out of Kreacher, and vowed to get revenge on the Dark Lord.  
It hadn't been terribly difficult for Regulus to figure out a way to stop him. Voldemort enjoyed bragging about his immortality, and Slughorn had drunkenly filled in the blanks before Regulus wiped his memory. He had read about what one needed to do to split their soul into pieces, and the knowledge just made Regulus more disgusted with the Dark Lord.  
The boat hit the shore of the tiny island, jolting Regulus out of his thoughts. He stepped out of the boat and walked up to the goblet.  
It was full to the brim with a clear potion that allows him to see the locket sitting at the bottom. Regulus tries his luck and reaches for it, but the potion turns solid at his touch. He then conjures a glass and scoops some of the potion up before dumping it on the sand, only for it to reappear in the goblet instantly.  
He turns around to face Kreacher, who has been silent thus far. "Do you remember the plan, Kreacher?" he asks. "Kreacher remembers his orders Master Regulus, but Kreacher must say he does not like them". "Yes, well I must say I'm not exactly thrilled with the circumstances either, but we have to do this. You have the replacement?" Kreacher nods and holds up a locket identical to the one in the goblet, with a note inside rather than a piece of Voldemort's soul. Regulus gets to work.  
He takes the first glass of the potion and gulps it down, already reaching for his next before the effects kick in. His stomach clenches painfully and his lips feel dry. He continues drinking, but is having a difficult time holding himself up. The more he drinks, the thirstier he gets, and the tighter his stomach feels. The potion seems to be affecting his mind, he's not exactly sure where he is. He just knows he must keep drinking.  
Suddenly, it's like he has fallen into a pensive filled with his worst memories. He tries to fight them as he downs the potion, but it's no use. He can see it's almost empty, he has to keep going, he wishes he could drink some water. He keeps drinking the potion as he remembers the morning his parents realized Sirius had left, it seems like such a long time ago. He remembers getting the Dark Mark burned into his skin. He had wanted it then, wanted to prove that he was a worthy member of the Black family.  
He reaches for another cup of the potion only to realize that the goblet is empty. He sighs with relief and drops the glass, which rolls towards the water. He doesn't hear what Kreacher is saying as he switches out the lockets, because he is too busy watching his glass sink into the water. "Kreacher you need to leave, right now". His throat is so dry he doesn't recognize his own voice. Kreacher starts to object, but Regulus doesn't let him, there's not enough time. "That's an order Kreacher, take the locket, destroy it, and don't tell anyone what we did today, okay? Now go!"  
Kreacher disapparates with a crack, forced to obey the orders of his master. Regulus thinks about how Voldemort will ultimately be brought down by house elf. It's fitting. He turns toward the lake he had disturbed to see dozens of grey, slimy hands starting to protrude from the water. The inferi crawl towards him, and he finds he cannot get up. From fear or the pain of the potion, or both, Regulus isn't sure. He pulls out his wand and conjures himself a drink of water. He looks at the boat, his last chance of possible escape, but it has been overrun with cursed corpses.  
They are grabbing at him now, pulling him toward the cold depths of the lake. Regulus cannot find it in himself to panic, he is too preoccupied by how many of them there are. So many innocent lives that the Dark Lord has taken, not able to rest in peace, but instead forced to kill others from beyond the grave. The water is cold, and Regulus swears that if Voldemort ever comes back here, he will be the one to drag the Dark Lord down into these icy, black waters.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to point out any spelling or grammatical errors, it'd be much appreciated!


End file.
